VFK Neon Quest 2012
Description Neon signs, those colorful glowing attention getting signs, began capturing the public eye in the 1920's. Businesses ranging from small country stores to large city businesses have used neon to display their unique messages to their customers. The artistic use of neon has resulted in many stunning and amazing signs that have charmed and influenced generations of people over the years. Vintage neon signs have even become a popular collector's item. On today's quest, we are going to explore the exciting history of "liquid fire!" Your reward for completing this quest will be 1,000 credits, and a Light Hearted Neon Sign! Prizes Questions 1. Even though neon wasn't used in signs until the 20th century, the first known discovery associated with neon lighting happened over three centuries ago. Jean Picard took one of the then recently invented mercury barometers up a mountain one night in 1675, so he could study air pressure at different elevations. He observed that the tube glowed faintly and that when the tube was shaken it caused the mercury to glow more. What was the name given to this phenomenon? * Phantom glow * Barometric light * Neon explosion * Mercury borealis 2. It has been discovered that the mysterious glow in the tube, especially when shaken, was static electricity. Static electricity was not understood at the time, and as electrical principles were discovered, scientists used the discoveries to develop many kinds of lighting. Go to Inside the Marshall's Office and say: "This place could use a neon sign!" 3. The path toward neon signs continued in 1855, with the invention of the Geissler tube. Is was named for the German physicist and skilled glassblower, Heinrich Geissler who began producing what historians believe is the first discharge tube art. When electrical generators were invented, the Geissler tube was utilized in electrical experiments with electricity and gas. When a Geissler tube filled with gas was placed under low pressure and an electrical voltage was applied, what could be observed? * The electricity would cause sparks * The gas would become cloudy * The tube would vibrate, then explode * The gas in the tube would glow 4. Another of Geissler's inventions was the mercury diffusion pump which he used to create a vacuum inside his tubes. Another scientist, Julius Plücker studied Geissler's tubes and discovered how to concentrate and direct the discharge with magnets and different sized tubing. In 1859, Antoine Henri Becquerel put luminescent materials and rarified air inside the tubes and produced the first examples of fluorescent lights. In 1893, Nicola Tesla made a sign that said "LIGHT". Go to Audubon's Deserted Desert and say: "I see the light!" 5. Experiments in liquid air in 1898 by Sir William Ramsay and Morris M. Travers revealed the element neon, a rare gaseous element present in the atmosphere. These scientists also discovered xenon and krypton. The newly discovered element, they named after the Greek word "neos" meaning new. What kind of gases are neon, xenon and krypton? * Noble gases * Superman gases * Ramsay gases * Travers gases 6. In 1898, another scientist, filled long glass tubes with carbon dioxide and nitrogen mixed together to produce an efficient electric light. The tubes were used successfully and were called Moore tubes after the inventor. Go to the Gate House in Medieval and say: "Neon is exciting!" 7. Another major contributor to neon lights was a French engineer, chemist and inventor named Georges Claude. In 1902, Claude applied an electrical discharge to a Moore tube filled with neon. He found that passing electricity through the neon yielded a brilliant light. He used his results to create the first neon lamp. Claude introduced his lamp for the first time on December 11, 1910, in Paris, France. What color was Moore's neon light? * Sparkling Blue * Vivid Orange * Brilliant Red * Dazzling Purple 8. Claude started neon lighting by patenting his neon light tube on Jan. 19th, 1915 in the US. He started a business in France called Claude Neon in 1923. Claude sold his neon signs to the United States one to a Packard car dealership in Los Angeles which read "Packard". The second sign he sold to the owner of the dealership, Earle C. Anthony, who purchased them for $12,000 each. Go to Ned Kelly's Hideout in Australia, and say: "It was a neon craze!" 9. This idea of using electrified neon filled tubes created a sensation! Their application in attention getting signs was immediately apparent and popular. The original Packard sign was the beginning of neon outdoor advertising. Because the neon lights were visible in the daytime as well as the night, they were very effective in attracting a potential customer's attention. What are the lights called that are made using the other gases? * Argon lights * Mercury light * Phosphor lights * They are all considered to be neon lights 10. Despite the success of neon lights, they are very labor intensive to create. They require varying lengths of glass tubing, high heat, gases, and electricity. Since neon glows red, other colors were made by combining various gases such as argon, mercury and phosphor. Go to the Corridor in Space Age and say: "Neon signs are awesome!" Answers 1. Barometric light 2. Go to Inside the U.S. Marshalls and say: "This place could use a neon sign!" 3. The gas in the tube would glow 4. Go to Audubon's Deserted Desert and say: "I see the light!" 5. Noble gases 6. Go to the Gate House in Medieval and say: "Neon is exciting!" 7. Brilliant Red 8. Go to Ned Kelly's Shack in Australia, and say: "It was a neon craze!" 9. They are all considered to be neon lights 10. Go to The Corridor in Space Age and say: "Neon signs are awesome!" 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